After saying farewell to Francesco Guidotti at the end of the season yesterday, this morning KTM made the name of his heir official: Aki Ajo will take on the role of team manager of the Mattighofen manufacturer’s official team in MotoGP starting from 2025.
For over two decades, the Finnish manager has been on the MotoGP scene with his team, Ajo Motorsport, which has been linked to KTM in Moto3 since 2012. Together, they won three world titles in the incoming class: in 2012 with the German Sandro Cortese, then in 2016 with Brad Binder and in 2021 with Pedro Acosta.
Since 2017, Aki Ajo’s team has become the reference for KTM also in the Moto2 class, in which it has literally dominated in the last three seasons (albeit with Kalex frames) with the World Championships brought home by Remy Gardner, Augusto Fernandez and Acosta, all riders who arrived in MotoGP under the banner of the Austrian brand.
After having focused above all on training the talents of the future for KTM for several years, next year Ajo will arrive on the command deck of a team that will field the already confirmed Binder and Acosta, who he knows very well, having led them to success in the training categories . At the same time, its structure in Moto3 and Moto2 will continue to develop talent for the brand, making the link with the “first team” even more solid.
Brad Binder, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Photo credit: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
“It is an honor to have been offered this great new role and the opportunity to work in MotoGP with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. At the moment MotoGP is at a very high level, so we need to continue to work in many areas and use the strengths we have to bring this KTM package to an even better standard,” commented Ajo.
“We have to keep pushing, but I think this project already has many valid elements to be at the top; we have to manage them in the best way. Thanks to Stefan, Hubert, Pit and Jens and all the members of the KTM structure,” he added.
“We have a special relationship and a very close collaboration with Aki and therefore we felt that this was the best decision to carry forward the MotoGP project. I have already said it and I repeat it: he believed in us when we were just organizing ourselves in this paddock , so the trust and friendship are unparalleled”, added Pit Beirer, director of KTM Motorsports, justifying the choice of the Nordic manager.
“His team’s successes speak for themselves. He has won titles with both drivers who will be in the pits in 2025, but this knowledge is only part of the expertise he will bring. We know we have a great pedigree and, of course, Aki knows our company and our way of racing. I am really happy and proud that we are facing this challenge together and that we are continuing a story that began a long time ago and which has already had many successes and great stories”, he concluded.
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